Trench-digging machine



March 23 1926. 1,577,994

(3. wEsT TRENCH DIGGING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1924 ,Znvenivr Patented Mar. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES nausea PATENT OFFICE.

CLAUDE WEST, OF WOOSTER, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO M. M. HERRON, OF MILLERSBURG,

OHIO.

TRENCH-DIGGING MACHINE.

Application filed April 11, 1924. Serial No. 706,084.

To all whom it may] concern:

-Be it known that I, CLAUDE Wnsr, a citizen of the United States, residing at ster, in the county of Wayne and State of Ohio, have invented a new and usefulTrench- Diggin Machine, of which the following is a speci cation. 7

My invention relates to trench digging machines, and particularly to machines for digging narrow trenches in which to lay electric cables and the like under ground, its principal object being to provide means for cutting a narrow channel in the earth with greater speed and evenness of depth than has been possible heretofore, in which to lay lines of electric wires, pipes and cables, instead of stringing them on poles above ground, to economize space and reduce disturbance of the surface of the soil to a minition of such trench digging machine by mounting a rotary toothed, saw like, disk upon a frame hinged upon a secondary axle, and frame attached to the rear axle of a' motor truck or tractor, such as are in common use, and providing improved means in connection therewith for rotating said disk in one direction independently of the travel of the tractor, and for regulating the depth of the cut in the soil, and means for cleaning out the trench as it is cut, and means for propelling the tractor on a secondary axle independently of the disk.

My invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which similar letters and figures of reference indicate like parts. Referring thereto, Fig. 1 is a side view of my invention in which the toothed disk is shown in elevated position, and the mechanism is partly cut away for better illustration of the interior. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, showing the truck and disk driving mechanism, the forward portion of the truck and of the disk elevating means being removed. Fig. 3 shows the disk detached. Figs. 4 and 5 show details of teeth and means for positioning them in the disk shown in Fig. 3.

In the drawings, A is an internal combustion engine, such as is commonly used in auto tractors of the Ford type, and B is a toothed disk rotatably mounted on the frame G. D is a front standard to which a chain the toothed disk B.

elevating mechanism E is attached operable, in the usual well known way to draw upon the elevator chain 11 which is attached to the top of the swinging standards I, said standards being pivotally mounted on the axle O, to which the frame C is also pivotally connectedso as to be drawn upward by the elevator chain j.

R, R, are side rails mounted on the tractor,

which are extended some distance beyond the usual rear axle L as a frame to engage the secondary axle'O, the axle L being utilized to drive the chain gear pinions G, G, as shown in Fig. 2. F, F are the rear drive wheels, such as are commonly used on auto tractors. They are driven by the toggle chain '9 in engagement with the gear f on said wheels.

His a pulley which is driven by the tractor engine in the usual way, and actuates the pulley J which is mounted loosely on the shaft 0 by means of a sleeve to which the beveled cog pinion K is attached to drive the cog pinion L which actuates the shaft M. Said shaft is mounted on the frame C, and drives a worm gear N, which rotates Said worm gear is constructed in the usual manner, and further description of it is unnecessary. The toothed disk B rotates in a direction opposite the forward turn of the drive wheels F ,and its up and down movement on the pivoted frame C, by means of the elevator mechanism above described, enables it to cut the trench to any desired depth, and also to entirely remove it therefrom, as shown in Fig. 1. Said disk is preferably constructed of circular plates of sheet metal riveted together in such manner as to provide channels between the outer plates for the teeth of the disk Z2, 6, which are driven therein in a direction at a slight angle with the radius of the disk, so as to give the teeth a forward direction for cutting into the soil. The disk is driven independently of the movement of the tractor, by means of the belt gear H, and J, and belt j, while the truck drive wheels F, F are driven by the toggle chain gear G, as aforesaid. By such means the disk may be driven at a high speed while the truck is stationary or moves forward or backward at any desired rate of speed. The toothed disk being quite narrow, cuts a clean channel in the soil as the tractor progresses. The teeth of the disk are spaced apart around its periphery and held solidly in position by means of wedge like plates, 6, e, which intervene between adjacent teeth, as shown in Fig. 3 giving them a bracing support,

and they maybe withdrawn for sharpening by driving a tool thru the holes 8, s, at the inner ends thereof in a manner easily understood. Moreover, the radial direction of the teeth in the disk may be modified to suit soil conditions by slight change of slope of the wedge-shaped fasteners 0 (Fig. 5), and

Y the simple and inexpensive means set forth,

are believed to be novel, and fairly within the scope of my invention. 1 am aware it is not new to construct ditching machines having a vertically adjustable bucket wheel adapted to scoop out a channel and deposit the material therefrom sidewise, and such I do not broadly claim, nor do I claim means for shifting the disk transversely on its axis, as such is not required in cutting a narrow trench for the purpose aforesaid.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a trench digging machine, the combination with the engine, side pulley and drive axle of an ordinary auto-tractor, of a pair of pinions mounted on said axle in lieu of drive wheels, a frame mounted on said axle and extended rearwardly therefrom, a secondary axle and drive wheels mounted thereon carrying said frame, a gear wheel with sleeve mounted to rotate on said secondary axle independently thereof, a vertically adjustable frame hinged to said secondary axle and projecting therefrom, a rotary toothed disk mounted to rotate on said frame in one direction, means in connection with said sleeve gear wheel for rotating said disk, means in connection with said side pulley for actuating said gear wheel on said secondary axle, and means in connection with the pinions on the tractor axle for actuating said drive wheels on said secondary axle, substantially asset forth.

2. A trench digging machine, comprising in combination with the engine, side pulley and drive axle of an ordinary auto-tractor, a frame mounted on said axle and extended rearwardly therefrom, a secondary axle having drive wheels adapted to carry said frame, a gear wheel with sleeve on said secondary axle, rotatable thereon independently thereof, a vertically adjustable frame hinged to said secondary axle, a toothed disk mounted to rotate on said frame, means, including said sleeve gear wheel, for actuating said disk rotarily, a pair of standards hinged uponsaid secondary axle and extending upwardly, means for swinging said standards back and forth on said secondary axle, and means in connection with said standards for swinging said disk frame vertically on said secondary axle, means in connection with said side pulley for drivingthe gear wheel on the secondary axle, a pair of toggle pinions, one on each end of the tractor axle (the usual drive wheels being removed therefrom), toggle chain gear on the drive wheels of the secondary axle, and toggle chains connecting the toggle pinions with the drive wheel gears, respectively, substantially'as set forth and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand this 4th day of March, A. D. 1924.

CLAUDE wnsr. 

